Last week, multiple users reported that two Snap packages from the Snap Store (named 2048buntu and Hextris) they mined cryptocurrencies in secondary processes without the users knowing. Of course, Canonical removed these applications immediately.
Today, the company responsible for Ubuntu has spoken about its position on the subject mentioning that there are no rules against mining cryptocurrencies through Snaps as long as the developer informs users through this.
Canonical also mentioned that mining cryptocurrencies is not illegal or unethical, so the only “not allowed” thing that Nicolas Tomb (creator of the two deleted apps) did was not to warn users.
In turn, Nicolas informed Canonical that his goal was to "Monetize software released under licenses that allow it."
Canonical promises to improve the security of its Snap Store
In the same publication, Canonical also explained that it does not have the ability to review the hundreds of applications that are published in its store every day, taking this into account, it is recommended to only install applications from known sources and developers.
With that in mind, the company promises to strengthen the security of its Snap Store by implementing the ability to mark specific developers as verified, helping users decide whether or not to install an application.
Right now the Snap Store stores more than 3,000 packages divided between open source applications and closed source applications.
Thanks to its design, the Snap format is very safe since it is an application enclosed within an environment (sandbox) such as Flatpak or AppImage. Anyway, Snaps are not only running Ubuntu, they also run on many other distributions such as Arch Linux, Solus, OpenSuSE, Fedora, Debian GNU / Linux, Gentoo Linux, Linux Mint and OpenWrt, so it will be difficult to manage your installation on all without the help of users.
That if it is bad that they use your pc to mine and lower the general performance of the pc damn it, not even in linux I'm going to feel august.
At least you will have the option to install or not the applications that use your PC to mine :).
Interesting ... so ... I can install applications that I use daily and these are mining me cryptocurrencies? How do you do that? hehe .. any tutor?
In the same publication it says very clearly that the developer must warn about the conditions of use and thus inform the user that the respective software is mining cryptocurrency. That is, you can decide whether to install a certain software, and if you use it, you will be informed if it executes procedures for the purposes of mining virtual and electronic currencies.
It doesn't seem like a bad way to get the most out of app development, but the logical thing is to warn it. It is like the emails that ask you from scientific institutions to use your computer when it is at rest to perform calculations. Tell me, and I'll give you the Yes or No.